1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to machines for filling and sealing containers containing a liquid or semi-liquid product, and more specifically relates to a machine that has a first work station for positioning empty containers for subsequent filling, a second work station for filling the containers, and a third work station for delivering closure members to the filled containers and for sealing said containers with said closure members, and a fourth work station for ejecting the filled and sealed containers from the machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Earlier fill and seal machines generally incorporate perforated or apertured turntables, or carrier discs, for transporting the container or cup sought to be filled from work station to work station.
The use of such apertured turntables mandates that a relatively complex cup-ejecting mechanism be used, since the filled and sealed cups must be taken out of registration with the apertures that immobilizes the containers during the fill and seal operation, as a part of the ejection procedure.
Earlier machines in the field of this invention also provide separate work stations for delivering a closure means to an individual cup means on a successive basis and for accomplishing a sealing engagement between said cup and said closure member.
Moreover, earlier machines require a negative pressure source as a part of the lid delivery system, and a heat seal means as a part of the lid sealing system.
The machines of the prior art also incorporate complex drive mechanisms due to the number of work stations and due to the complex active tasks that must be performed at each station.
More specifically, the drive assemblies of the prior art generally include sprocket chains, power take off shafts, and numerous other parts such as cams, cam followers, levers, reciprocating rods and the like.
A need is therefore seen to exist in the packaging industry generally and in the fill and seal machine industry particularly for a machine that has a reduced number of work stations and, accordingly, a reduced number of active components.